Injury characteristics and management of orthopaedic trauma in refugee children

Abstract

Purpose: Several factors affect injury types in childhood. The aim of the study was to evaluate the musculoskeletal injury types, treatment modalities, and demographic characteristics of refugee children and to reveal the differences from native children.

Methods: A total of 1297 patients (897 females, 400 males) treated in our clinic between January 2014 and January 2019 were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 8.9 ± 5.1 in refugees and 7.5 ± 4.6 in the native group (range, 0-18 years). The patients were evaluated in terms of age, gender, mechanism of injury, location and type of fracture, presence of accompanying injuries, surgical technique, complications, and treatment modalities.

Results: The trauma mechanism differed significantly between the groups, high-energy traumas such as falling from a height, fight/assault injury, gunshot injury, and work injury were found more frequently in the refugee group (p = 0.001). The rates of CRIF, ORIF, graft/flap surgery, and hospitalization time were observed to be significantly higher in the refugee group (p = 0.013). No significant difference was observed between groups in terms of demographic distribution, injury location, and complications.

Conclusion: This population-based, cross-sectional study emphasizes that the refugee children have different injury mechanisms. Improved living conditions may reduce musculoskeletal injury in this population.

Keywords: Children; Fracture; Injury mechanism; Refugee.